By CPA Boniface Mungoya Mundu
HOW KENYA’S PROFESSIONALS ARE THRIVING BEYOND TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT
Unemployment is a major challenge in Kenya, so losing a job abruptly adds further strain to individuals’ mental and emotional well-being, especially in today’s economy, where inflation is high and the cost of living continues to rise daily.
According to Citizen Digital, the recent USAID funding cut has reportedly left over 40,000 direct and 350,000 indirect Kenyan workers jobless (February 4, 2025). This has worsened the country’s unemployment levels and intensified competition in the job market, as Accountants and other professionals scramble to secure new opportunities, often with limited success. According to Trading Economics, Kenya’s unemployment rate dropped slightly from 5.60% in 2023 to 5.40% in 2024, and was projected to reach 5.00% by the end of 2025. However, with USAID’s funding withdrawal, achieving this target remains uncertain.
This article explores how affected individuals can turn these challenges into opportunities after the funding cuts. It highlights how various professionals in the sector are stepping up to support those navigating employment uncertainty.
Responding with Resilience: Professional Leadership Amid Crisis
During this crisis, Kenyan professionals have shown immense potential to transform uncertainty into opportunity by leveraging transferable skills, exploring alternative funding sources, embracing entrepreneurship, engaging in upskilling, and advocating for systemic change. These actions are helping to build personal and collective resilience in a rapidly shifting development landscape.
One inspiring example is Dr Joshua Wathanga, a seasoned policy, strategy, and resilience consultant with over 20 years of experience working on USAID programs. Dr Wathanga felt a deep duty to support his peers during this challenging transition. Recognising the urgent need, he brought together a team of experts and facilitated a series of pro bono webinars covering topics identified during a needs assessment survey.
The top five sessions, held throughout May 2025, provided practical insights, emotional support, and professional tools to help individuals reframe their journeys. Below is a summary of each session and its core takeaways:
Reposition and Relaunch: Turning Your Experience into Opportunity through Transferable Skills and Strategic Career Moves
This session focused on career reinvention, encouraging professionals to recognise the value of their experiences and identify skills that could be applied across industries or sectors. Professionals can confidently relaunch their careers by aligning these strengths with emerging market needs and making strategic decisions.
Key takeaways included:
- Feel the impact: Acknowledge the emotional and professional toll of job loss. Give yourself space to grieve.
- Pause with purpose: Use this moment as a reset—an opportunity for clarity and reinvention.
- Clarify your direction: Reflect on your strengths and explore new paths, including employment, consulting, or entrepreneurship.
- Make a plan: Manage finances, set clear goals, and create a structured daily routine.
- Lean on your network: Seek support, brainstorm ideas, and leverage community connections.
- Digital Skills for Today’s Economy: Empowering You with the Digital Know-How to Stay Relevant, Connected, and Competitive
In today’s economy, digital fluency is a key asset. This session explored the role of digital literacy—including artificial intelligence (AI)—in staying competitive and accessing opportunities. Whether job-seeking or running a business, tech proficiency is vital in a rapidly digitising world.
Key takeaways included:
- Reposition for leadership, not survival: African professionals can shape the future as donor landscapes shift.
- Use practical tools: Leverage AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini to find job leads, generate content, or support strategy.
- Start small: Even 30 minutes daily with AI can build confidence and practical skills.
- Increase visibility: Document and share your digital learning journey to attract new opportunities.
- Use AI ethically: Always review and refine outputs with personal judgment to ensure accuracy and authenticity.
Beyond Employment: Inspiring Interest and Offering Practical Support to Help You Start Your Entrepreneurial Journey
This session was anchored in a powerful quote by Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify: “Entrepreneurship is now the first choice for the most talented people in the world.” Once seen as a fallback plan, entrepreneurship has now become a central career choice, driven by digital innovation and the desire for meaningful, independent work. Participants were reminded that they could create their own ventures by tapping into their skills, interests, and community needs.
Key takeaways included:
- Respond with entrepreneurship: Use job loss as a spark to pursue a new venture.
- Start with what you know: Leverage your skills, passions, and unmet needs in your community.
- Embrace trial and learning: See early missteps as growth moments—adjust based on feedback.
- Build strong foundations: Set up clear systems for finance, customer service, and daily operations.
- Think lean and digital: Use low-cost, technology-driven models to effectively lower entry barriers and scale.
Beyond Traditional Donors: Reimagining Local Fundraising and Resilience for Long-Term Impact
This webinar examined emerging Domestic Resource Mobilisation (DRM) trends and urged participants to reduce reliance on external donors. Speakers shared practical approaches for mobilising local philanthropy, generating income, and building strategic partnerships. A standout quote from Rose Maruru, CEO of Epic-Africa, captured the spirit of the session: “If we want lasting impact, we must stop waiting for external saviours and start building funding models rooted in our ecosystems.”
Key takeaways included:
- Funding fragility exposed: Donor volatility shows the need to diversify and innovate funding models.
- Unlock local generosity: Explore individual giving, faith-based support, and community fundraising.
- Build trust locally: Transparency and accountability are key to donor loyalty.
- Partner with purpose: Align with private sector ESG goals for shared value and strategic collaboration.
- Think sovereign, not dependent: Prioritise sustainability, ownership, and locally rooted solutions.
Finding Your Footing: Practical Steps for Coping with Job Loss, Managing Your Finances, and Rebuilding with Resilience
This final session, led by Waithaka Gatuma, CEO of Centonomy Ltd, proved transformative. With empathy and insight, he reminded participants that personal power and reinvention begin with small steps forward. “If you are alive, then there is something you can do to change your life.”
Key takeaways included:
- Grieve, then rebuild: Honour your emotions, but don’t stay stuck—use this time to reflect and reinvent.
- Know your numbers: Track expenses, understand debt, and prioritise essentials.
- Budget with intention: Use budgeting tools to create a plan that matches your new reality.
- Redefine failure: Treat setbacks as growth opportunities and connect with your purpose.
- Leverage technology: Use digital tools and AI to generate income and stay marketable.
Opportunity in Uncertainty: What Professionals Can Do Next
Despite the challenges, the period following the USAID funding cuts can offer new beginnings. Professionals can:
- Enhance skills through online courses in digital literacy, AI, data analysis, and project management.
- Explore new sectors like climate action, social enterprise, and technology, where transferable skills apply.
- Start small businesses or freelance based on their experience and networks.
- Build a personal brand using platforms like LinkedIn to increase visibility and access to opportunities.
- Engage with peers and communities, forming support networks for mentoring, collaboration, and growth.
From Disruption to Reinvention
Although the unexpected funding cuts and job losses have caused significant disruption, they have also unveiled new possibilities. In the face of uncertainty, Kenyan professionals are demonstrating that it is possible to rise again, stronger, wiser, and better equipped. By embracing transferable skills, upskilling, entrepreneurship, alternative funding, and support networks, this crisis may serve not only as a setback but also as the start of a powerful reinvention story.
The writer is a Finance and Grants Management expert with over 10 years of experience overseeing multi-donor portfolios across development and humanitarian contexts. He holds a Master’s degree in International Development, an MBA in Finance, a Bachelor of Business Management (Finance and Banking), and is a certified CPA-K professional. His core expertise includes budgeting, donor compliance, financial reporting, audit coordination, and risk mitigation. He is proficient in QuickBooks, Accpac, and Salesforce CRM.
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cpa-boniface-mundu-1a667568/
